Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the
world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to
over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a
wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history,
humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced
features available, you will need to register first. Registration is
absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

I was at the dojo tonight, and I just sat there in the darkness while the others changed. It was like... as the lights went down I could see myself all those months ago, preparing for 6th kyu. I remembered the frustration and the joy, the pain and the ecstacy that I felt back then. I thought of my now-self in parallel, and realised that all those emotions and sensations are still there. There, but different. Like a spiral, the same but different.

I have come full circle again, and I will again, and again. And next year, I will look back and marvel at the depth every new turn has brought since this moment.